Differences
by closed20172017
Summary: Being completely different people didn't change anything. Ikarishipping day oneshot.


Hello, my little pumpkins! I know I'm not the best at updating and writing, but I've been overloaded with exams and life in general. But, it's Ikari day, so spare me for one more day so I can celebrate.

I don't own Pokemon. If I did, I would be in Japan, eating sweets.

 **Differences**

 _A masquerade_ , the poster screamed, _where you will meet your true love at midnight!_ Pfft, I -Dawn Berlitz- sigh, ignoring the crowds of people bunching up together by the posters. I push through the crowds lazily as I stroll to my locker.

I'd never thought my prestigious and strict school would allow such a thing. Advertising love was super rare. I half expected the end of year dance theme to be something like festival, or neon. Something drab and boring like that. That was my school for you. Regardless, the whole year was buzzing with excitement. There was no one to ask to the dance, since it was a masquerade and all, so boys and girls kept apart, the girls deciding what to wear and the boys betting on who could nab the hottest girl in the school.

To my surprise, and disappointment, my best friends, Misty and May, were overjoyed by the news of a masquerade. Misty was the classic romantic, and she was actually falling for the statement that she would meet ' _her one true love at midnight'_. May for once was actually smarter than Misty, and hadn't fell for the stupid lie, but was worrying who she was going to dance with.

"What if I accidentally dance with Brendan? He'll end up raping me or something! You know how he is, Dawn! If you see me with him, help me escape!"

I facepalm. Okay, May and Misty were at the same stupidity levels.

"May, it's a masquerade. No one is going to recognise each other."

"Huh? Dawn, I don't get it!"

I mumble a quick excuse, leaving May to Misty to deal with each other. They could stumble around hopelessly whilst I would stay at home whilst everyone danced. Dumping my unfinished lunch into the bin, I wander aimlessly through the abandoned hallways.

There's no one in the library, or in the computing rooms. Everyone's gone off to talk about the stupid dance. I don't want to look like a loner either, so I decide to perch on the wall by the canteen, so it looked like I was ' _mixing in_ ' with some girls who were nearby.

I decide to check my horoscope. I'm superstitious, and I have a soft spot for history classes, so I look at some Roman mythology whilst I'm there.

"Venus, huh?"

I jump at the voice behind me. Already, I know who it is, but as if on instinct, I look up to his face, then quickly glance down again.

"Paul! You scared me!" I squeal, still not looking him in the eye.

I'm not being antisocial or anything, but I don't want to speak to him. Paul…he was mysterious. He was good friends with Ash, a childhood friend of mine, so we were in the same friendship circles. But he was usually quiet, and when he did speak, it was rare, or just hateful words.

"W-what's wrong with Venus?" I growl, feeling my face go red.

"Venus, the goddess of love and peace. Pfft, of course you would like her."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Girls usually choose her."

I feel my face turn red in disgust.

"Sexist, much? Geez, you piss me off sometimes!"

I flounce out of the room, but I hear him chuckle, and I show him the middle finger, just to make myself satisfied.

;;

Perhaps I shouldn't have sworn at him. I was sort of in a project with him in history. We don't talk to each other through the whole lesson. As the lesson ends, I muster the courage to ask him.

"Who would you pick?"

But before he answers, the teacher shouts for us to pack away. Pfft. Of course. I feel my face heat up as he grabs my wrist. It's not rough, it's surprisingly gentle. But it feels like he's giving me an electric shock as we stand there in silence, his large hand on my small wrist. He lets go after a few moments, and I almost want him to hold on more.

"Mars," he whispered, as he stalks past me, as if that never happened.

I should have known. Mars was the god of war.

;;

It was to be formal attire too. Reluctantly, I had agreed to go to the dance, after May and Misty pleaded me. I lifted up another dress. I was pretty sure I had seen over a hundred and rejected them. They were either too bright, too short, too long, too big, the list went on. The books had lied to me. In all those fairy tales, there would always be that moment when you see your dream dress, and it so happens to be the right size. Where were those sparkles and glitter in the air and the slow happy music for _me_?

I grumbled unenthusiastically as I pull the red dress over my head. Too small.

The next dress that caught my eye, I would choose, I decided. I reached into the sea of dresses, and pulled out a random one. I blinked. It was pretty. It was a dark fushcia pink, which flared out at the hips. It would just about fit, too. I could always make the straps shorter with the classic needle and thread, just like Cinderella.

All I needed now were some pretty heels. I was a tad on the short side, after all.

;;

"A masquerade? What's that? A video game?"

"Ash, it's a type of theme for a dance. Do you not listen?"

"Of course I listen, Dawn!"

I sigh dramatically, waving the bright poster in Ash's face. Not to be mean or anything, but Ash wasn't the brightest crayon in the box. But even I, his friend of 13 years, didn't expect him to not know of the upcoming dance.

"You'll need a suit," I point out. "Your mom will get one for you if you use your puppy dog eyes. And a mask, of course. Dark blue would look good on you."

"Is it necessary? To have a mask, I mean?"

"Yes. That's the whole point. Now get your fat ass off your computer, we're going to the Hayden residence."

Ash looks at me in surprise, his eyes actually leaving the screen of his laptop.

"Drew's house? I mean, mansion. Why?"

I tap my nose knowingly, smirking.

"To save May from her anger issues."

;;

I place a hand on May's shoulder, as she and Drew argue. I had sent May over to Drew to find out his shoe size, but of course, being the lovebirds they are, they were bickering again. They had a love-hate relationship. It would be Drew teasing May 24/7 and May getting heated up just because she didn't like losing, especially to Drew.

Glaring at Drew playfully, I led May away, dragging Ash along too.

"May, we need to find a suit for Ash. Drew won't mind lending a suit-"

"Oh look, it's troublesome. Again?"

Paul. Of course he had to be here. Of all the days he was social and went to someone's house- cough, mansion- it had to be the day I was here. I stare at him angrily for a few seconds, before trying to get past him again.

"No you don't, shorty. I'm taking this creature," he pointed to Ash, grabbing his arm. "And you take Drew's sacred girl, and we'll all be happy."

I open my mouth to speak, but no words form. He smirks, and stalks away, leaving me infuriated in his wake. Glancing at May, I roll my eyes, before striding away angrily.

;;

The next time I encountered him was at the mall. I was with Misty, but she was chatting up some guys at the stall, so I decided to leave her and text May.

I hummed as I tapped quickly on my phone.

A noise caught my attention, and I spun round. He was there, shopping, his basket overloaded with groceries. Paul. He looked so serene, as he checked a list, before disappearing off into another aisle. I gulped as I realised he looked almost graceful.

I kept glancing at him as he shopped, because my eyes wouldn't leave him.

Maybe, he wasn't quite the violent monster he always pretended to be.

;;

Wincing as the music pounded in my ears, I hovered around the food and drink stands, hoping someone would notice me, and talk. If nothing happened soon, I would end up going home at this rate.

I screwed my nose up as I examined the punch bowl. There was no way I was drinking that. Someone had probably vomited in it. Twisting a strand of my carefully put up hair around my finger, I slipped on my mask once again, just to get used to wearing it. It was feathered, so it kept tickling my forehead, which slowly started to get on my nerves. I would probably rip off the damned feathers soon.

Scanning the room for either May's golden dress or Misty's cerulean blue gown, I felt myself frowning as I realised it was almost time for the most anticipated time of the evening. Before then, everyone was just talking animatedly, the girls on one side of the room, the boys on another. It was almost like an unspoken rule.

The clock struck five to midnight, and everyone froze. All words died away suddenly, and the bright pop music halted. I gulped, as I did the same things as everyone else: put their mask on.

I felt like I was in a movie, surrounded by masks and secrecy.

Soft music started playing, and everyone started waltzing around the room like clockwork; I felt like a bull in a china shop, out of place, confused. I tried to keep tabs on May and Misty, but they had already disappeared in the fog of people. Gliding around the outskirts of the hall, hoping no one noticed me, I almost felt worried. What if I was the only one left? The only one dancing alone as the clock struck midnight? I paced around the hall quicker, my feet no longer dancing, but sliding harshly against the wooden floor.

"You'll wear the floor out if you do that any longer, Venus."

I spun around quickly, my skirt flowing elegantly with me. I knew I shouldn't have come to the stupid ball. Of course I had to run into him. I tried to move away, but decided against it, and snapped back at him.

"Oh, Mars? The god of war, telling the goddess of peace to calm down? Shouldn't it be the other way round; or are you trying to cause trouble?" I spat, glaring at the tall masked boy in front of me.

His mask was a vibrant red, like lava from the burning volcano, but the mask didn't matter to me. All I could see were his eyes. Onyx orbs burned through mine, and I felt shivers run down my spine.

"But Mars had his fatherly ways. He's not what he looks like on the outside, believe me. He's not all fight. Without him, we wouldn't have had Rome, and so many other things."

"Venus is the goddess of love and sex. She's the one who controls Cupid, and without Cupid, we wouldn't have the power of love."

I find by then, that we're dancing together, in sync, as we slowly glide around each other, our eyes never leaving each other's. Lost in them, I'm paralysed, and I don't make to move from his grip.

The clock strikes twelve, and it's a loud, shrill noise, that I break from our trance, and stare at Paul in shock. He towers over me, his face neutral, then suddenly grabs my face, but it's gentle, and his hands are warm. He whispers in my ear, his breath tickling the tip of my ear. I realise then that it's midnight.

"Even though Venus and Mars are so different in personality, and they contrast so strongly, they still end up together, don't they?"

And he slams his lips onto mine.

But I don't pull back.

;;

A/N: EYY, how was that? I had to rush this in about four days. I began this over the Easter, but never got further than two or three paragraphs. Then I realised how close Ikari day was, so I panicked.

I've always liked Roman mythology. It's pretty messed up, which is why I like it, hehe.

Happy Ikari day, my friends! See you on the 10th July, for Contest day! I'll be sorting out AAC for release sometime these few months! I'm pretty busy in July, heh. I just want to make the first chapters good for you guys.

Cat xx


End file.
